RAISINA TATTLE: Congress prepares for brainstorming session

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will brainstorm with corporate honchos, politicians, strategic thinkers and economists as they going into a huddle at the two-day CII Annual General Meeting (AGM), starting April 3.

A special plenary session will kick off the deliberations on Day 2 with Rahul's address as the AGM is likely to discuss key issues such as food security, nation building and enabling business environment.

The event expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will see industry leaders such as Wipro Chairman Azim Premji, Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej Airtel CMD Sunil Bharti Mittal, share their views on subjects like overcoming the challenges of governance, food security, future of industrialisation and Indian economic reforms vis-a-vis the world.

The theme of the conference is 'India of Tomorrow: Imperatives of Growth, Security and Governance'.

Hunt for NIA chief

The National Investigation Agency chief S.C. Sinha may have moved on as a member of the National Human Rights Commission, but the premier anti-terror unit has yet to get a replacement for him.

Although Sinha is due for retirement in September the government went ahead with the appointment that has come under attack from the Opposition BJP.

Now, the government is in a hurry to find a suitable replacement in time as the agency cannot be left headless for long.

The government has been caught on the wrong foot after Prakash Mishra, the Orissa DGP who had earlier served in the NIA, declined to take up the top job. The hunt is on.

Rahul's Bihar pick

After Punjab, where Capt. Amarinder Singh has been replaced as PCC chief with a younger Partap Singh Bajwa, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi surprised many in Bihar.

Ending a twoyear suspense on Sunday a young Dalit leader Ashok Choudhary, considered close to the Congress scion, has been appointed the PCC president.

He has replaced Mehboob Ali Qaiser, who had resigned from the post two years ago owning moral responsibility for the poll debacle.

Forty-three year-old Choudhary was a minister in the RJDled government earlier.

His appointment has come as a surprise to many old-timers such as former CLP leader Ashok Ram.

However, CWC member Shakeel Ahmed who was also in the race, welcomed Choudhary's appointment saying he is young and energetic.

Tarun Gogoi, chief minister of Assam has come under fire from within the Congress Party for his handling of internal security issues

Gogoi's travails

The latest Congress chief minister courting trouble due to faction fighting is Tarun Gogoi of Assam.

The detractors of Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan) Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Haryana), Kiran Reddy (Andhra Pradesh), Sheila Dikshit (Delhi) all had their detractors make a beeline to 10 Janpath to complain against the respective chief ministers but with little success.

The same appears to be happening to Gogoi who has now come under the radar of his opponents within the party.

Some of them including his cabinet colleagues have complained to the high command that the chief minister has been lax in handling the internal security situation.

A concerned Sonia Gandhi on Friday summoned Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to get feedback from the state.

Sonia has now directed AICC general secretary and the party's Assam in-charge Digvijaya Singh to study the situation and submit a report to her. timers such as former CLP leader Ashok Ram.

However, CWC member Shakeel Ahmed who was also in the race, welcomed Choudhary's appointment saying he is young and energetic.